hen swallowed elastic hair band

[3goodeggs]

My wounded chicken that is recuperating in the house managed to get a covered elastic band that is used to hold hair in pony tails. Not the thin type but the thicker kind.
I managed to get her on the road to recovery...now is she going to die from a bound up intestinal tract? what should I do? If she were a cat or a dog and they swallowed string or rope, I'd douse them good with mineral oil. Is this something that I should try with her? Can birds handle mineral oil? corn oil? This craw and gizzard bit of the digestive system are new to me.

 

[canada-goose]

Mineral oil might help. It probably won't hurt her.
If you're lucky, the hair band might not cause any problems. One of my hens ate a piece of plastic tape once and she's still alive.

 

[LynneP]

Veggie oil and bits of bread actually...she will probably be fine and you'll find bits of it in her droppings. But yes, it's a worry, they will eat virtually ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[3goodeggs]

Thanks! I think I will soak the bread in the corn oil, The vision of me holding a chicken with a funnel down her throat and a bottle of oil...Just seemed like too much for me to handle. she has already been through so much already. She has been recuperating after mean chicken ate a good sized hole into her. She was enjoying lap time when the elastic band presented itself as food, in a wormy sort of way.

This is a wonderful site and I really, really do appreciate the help that you all have given me. I will post the outcome of this event, just in case the same thing happens to someone else...makes me wonder what she has eaten that I didn't see her swallow.

 

[silkiechicken]

She'll be fine. I've found screws inside of gizzards when I've butchered birds so I'm sure there are ones who ate some and had the goods just come out the other end. They eat lots and lots of things that you'd not think they'd want to eat... like Styrofoam.

 

[3goodeggs]

Thanks. I feel better now. I felt rather stupid that I had and elastic there and never thought she'd think worm. Now I wonder how many Lego bits she's eaten. The place has seemed tidier recently.
She cleans up and makes breakfast.